Part two of Robert J. Sawyer's trilogy the aftermath of a portal being created that allows a connection between our world and a parallel world where neanderthals rule. Both worlds are intrigued, baffled, frightened and amused by the other. I didn't like this one as much as HOMINIDS as it was kind of repetitive--same philosophical debates about the differences between the two worlds. Sawyer loves having his characters vocalize discourse on heavy subjects such as religion, ethics, morality and the like.

Each year Literary Review gives a comical award to the worst sex scene in fiction and HUMANS deserves consideration for the year of 2003. There is a jaw-droppingly bad sex scene in this between human/neanderthal that is cringe-worthy. It's graphic, lasts way too long and is just laughable. Hey, I don't mind a little human on neanderthal action (who doesn't?!), but make it more erotic than embarrassing.